All twenty-four first-years sat in the study hall, note books open and writing utensils in hand as the professor walked in with the gonging bells. She seemed to be fairly young; probably around Maria’s age, if not younger Draco thought. She had dark blonde hair tied back in a tight bun, fair skin and wore a pair of thin framed glasses. Her body was covered by a white frilly blouse and tight knee length black skirt. She walked over to the chalkboard and began to write her name on it.

“Good morning, first-years. In case you have forgotten from yesterday, I am Professor Sawn, and we will be learning and discussing Spirits and Brands.” She finished writing her name and set the chalk down, turning to face them all with a small clap of her hands. “So, as I am sure you are all aware by now, when a person Awakens their Spirit, they receive a Brand somewhere on their body. The Brand you all have is universal and referred to as a Rank One Brand, or simply Rank One.”

Draco looked to the mark on the back of his left hand as everyone else looked to where their own Brands were, though a few did not. Several people screamed as Willow lifted her shirt up to reveal her own Brand on her solar plexus, as well as a little of her chest. Saphira was quick to lean over from her desk and yank Willow’s shirt back down.

“As you and your Spirit grow, both physically and spiritually, you will go through what is referred to as a Rank Up. When this happens, your Spirit shares more of its power with you. Those who reach Rank Two usually acquire the Element related to their Spirit. Rank Three gives a stronger variant of the tool, or perhaps more utility of some sort.”

Draco thought back to Kled and his Shark-Skin Armour.

“Rank Four is usually the highest most will reach, and it is considered the ‘complete’ Rank.”

“Umm, why is that?” Elizabeth raised her hand. “Wouldn’t Rank Five be considered more complete?”

“You would think so, but no.” Professor Sawn said as she pushed her glasses back against her face. “Rank Five is a whole other level of power. If you ever see a Rank Five Knight battle, they will start at a Rank Four equip. Rank Five is less of an actual Rank, and more of a transformation. It is the physical manifestation of the body and Spirit unleashing one another’s absolute potential. Even after all of these years, we still do not completely understand it. Rank Five Knights have never been able to put it into words for others to understand.”

“Okay, so then what are the factors for Ranking Up?” Jethro asked.

“Quite simply, your Spirit. They are your own personal judges and critics. While they may be a part of you, they do have a will of their own. And they choose when they will share more of their power with you. You need to bond with them. Understand them. Trust them, and they you.”

Everyone in the class turned to their Spirits, looking at them as though they had never seen them before. Draco took the lizard off of his head and set it on the desk, where it yawned and opened its eyes grumpily, clearly having been enjoying a nap.

“Now then, for the next few weeks we will be working on releasing your Spirit onto the Astral Plane.”

“I am sorry, the what?” One of the male students asked.

“The Astral Plane.” Professor Sawn repeated. “You may have noticed by now that all of the second-year students and beyond do not have Spirits wandering the grounds with them. This is because we learn to release our Spirits onto the Astral Plane; a dimension sitting between this world and the next. On this plane, the Spirits are able to watch over us and hear us when we call for them, while being in an area that allows them to roam freely with no restrictions.”

Draco took a minute to think about the ramifications of William’s basilisk roaming free in the city and shuddered.

“So now, I want everyone to place a hand on their Spirit.” Professor Sawn instructed, her voice calm and soothing. “Feel their breathing. Feel their heart beat. Try to synchronize with their breaths.”

Draco placed a hand on the lizard’s back and did so. He had never noticed until now how he could feel its ribs through the scales and skin when it inhaled. How warm it was. How slow its heart beat. He stared down at it in wonder. How had he never remembered that it was alive, just like him? It turned its head to look at him curiously.

“Now, as you breathe with one another, focus on the feeling of having your Spirit close. Close your eyes, and picture in your mind a place where the two of you could go. Just the two of you.”

Draco closed his eyes and thought. A meadow? No, they’d set it on fire. A volcano. No, he would not be happy there. Too hot. A swamp? Hell no! Leeches! A castle? ...Yes. A castle. A large, gray stoned castle with suits of armour, a large royal den with a roaring fireplace and two grand chairs before it. Books. A table with refreshments. A royal pillow on the floor by the fire. Draco placed himself in one of the chairs, sipping water from a crystal glass as he looked at the fire. The chair beside him was empty. He looked to the pillow, expecting to see the lizard there, but it wasn’t.

He opened his eyes to see his Spirit playfully nibbling on his thumb. He let out a sigh of defeat. Not like anyone would get it on their first try anyways.

“Well done! Well done!”

He looked around to see that several Spirits were no longer in the room, among them being Jethro’s, Willow’s, Saphira’s and Arius’. Draco clicked his tongue in irritation and looked back to his Spirit, who had stopped chewing on him and was now staring at him. After a few seconds of eye contact, it stuck its tongue out at him. Draco sighed and placed a finger between the lizard’s eyes, giving its head a gentle rub.

“Things are never easy with you, are they?” He asked as the Spirit gave a happy growl. Several others in the room seemed to be arguing with their Spirits as well, though Draco noticed that Elizabeth’s jackal was curled up on her desk, napping as she gently pet its fur, seeming to be in no hurry to dismiss the beast.

“Um, Professor?” A girl with long white hair and sharp eyes raised her hand, her Spirit no longer in sight. “After we, uh, send our Spirit to the Astral Plane, how do we bring them back?”

“You know their name, do you not?” Sawn replied matter-of-factly. The girl nodded. “Then just call for them. Hermes!”

No sooner had she spoken the name did a gust of wind blast through the room as a large Wedge-Tail Eagle whipped its wings out wide behind the professor’s head. The class stared in awe as the large beast gave a mighty flap of its wings and glided over to the professor’s desk, landing with a heavy thud before turning its head to face its Master, who reached out and rubbed the side of its head. The bird’s eyes closed as it pressed into the open palm.

“It is that simple.” Sawn said as she continued to pet her Spirit. “Call their name, and they will return. There is no wall between the Astral Plane and our world. Just because we cannot see it does not mean it is not there. Our Spirits will always hear us when we call. There have even been reports of times where a Spirit has come through without being called when its wielder was in danger.”

Draco looked from the professor back down to his Spirit, who was now looking around the room curiously, seeming to just now notice that some of the other Spirits had left the room. It then looked back to him and, after a slow blink, pooted its tongue at him.

~

“That was so much to take in!” Willow whined as they walked to the lunch hall after class. Out of their Squad, by the end of class the only ones who had not managed to send their Spirits over to the Astral Plane were Draco and Elizabeth; the lizard currently being cradled in Willow’s arms as the jackal padded alongside its master down the hallway.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I am surprised that they even consider that a class, or her a professor,” Elizabeth said with her nose turned upward. “It seems to be a lot of theory and guesswork rather than anything with solid evidence. ‘Astral Plane?’ How do we know it even exists? Could the Spirits not just be turning invisible? Or ethereal? What proof does she have to say that they are stepping onto another plane of existence separate from ours?”

“Well, it was just the first class, Liz,” Saphira said, a gentle smile on her face. “Perhaps she will be able to explain it more next week?”

“We will see.” Liz replied bluntly as her Spirit nuzzled against her leg. She smiled and gave its head a scratch. “Either way, I prefer to have Jack here with me like this.”

“I just realized something,” Arius said, looking at Elizabeth’s Spirit. “We never saw you use Jack during the Right of Entrance. Why was that?”

“Oh… I… uh…” Elizabeth stammered, suddenly flustered. “You see…. I uh… did mine… in private… earlier…” she blushed, looking down at her feet. “I am… you see… kind of embarrassed….”

“What?” Draco said. “Does Jack turn into some skimpy armour or something? Why be embarrassed by that? It’s not like you have anything anyone wants to see.”

Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears as the rest of the squad laid into Draco: Sebastian slapped him upside the head, Saphira jabbed him in the kidney, Willow stomped on his foot and Arius swung a backfist into his gut, along with Jack biting his shin and the lizard giving him a dumbfounded look.

“What?” Draco wheezed, doubled over in pain as he looked to the squad that just assaulted him. They all gave him a stern expression and pointed to Elizabeth, still sobbing. Draco turned to her, still hunched over, and spoke.

“I’m… sorry?”

Elizabeth rounded on him, her tears eyes burning with anger. She cocked her right fist and planted it squarely in Draco’s face.

“ASSHOLE!” She screamed.

The squad entered the lunch hall, got their food trays, and made their way through the hall looking for a table to sit at. As they walked, Willow noted that several of the older squads had fewer members.

“Why do some of them have less than six?” She asked, looking at a table of third-years that only had three members.

“Several possibilities,” Saphira answered as she found an open table and led them over to it, “Fewer Knight applicants that year, dropouts, members could be absent…”

“Or they bought it.” Draco said flatly, taking his seat as the tables around him fell silent. Saphira looked to him, trying to hint to him to shut up, but Willow questioned further.

“Bought it?” She asked, completely lost on the phrase.

“They up and died.” He replied, completely oblivious to the anger in the room now directed at him. Saphira planted her face in her hand as Arius, Sebastian and Elizabeth kept walking, trying to pretend they did not know him. Draco continued talking, unaware of the hole he was currently digging. “Part of the training here is to go out on missions, and on those missions is where the weak are weeded out.”

Willow suddenly took notice of the tension in the room and took a nervous step back as Saphira beckoned her silently to the new table the rest of them had found. Willow quickly made her way over.

“Care to repeat that, kid?”

Draco looked up from his food to see that he had been abandoned by his squad. Looking over his shoulder he saw a third-year standing over him, glaring down at him. He had his dark blonde hair shaved down in a crew cut, some light chin stubble, and a nasty scar under his left eye.

“What?” Draco asked, confused.

“Say it again, how this academy ‘weeds out the weak’.” He answered, his voice a low growl. Draco did not take the hint and turned back to his food.

“The weak die. If they died, clearly they had no business trying to become Knights.”

The table splintered as the third-year’s fist slammed down into Draco’s tray, sending food and pieces of wood flying.

“Weak?!” He shouted, grabbing Draco by the collar of his shirt and lifting him clean up off of the floor. “Are you saying that Janet was weak when she gave her life protecting that village? That Adam was weak when he gave his life to protect mine?”

Draco struggled against the older student’s grip. He met the third-year’s glare, his pride and ego raging.

“Clearly…” he said as he struggled, “if you needed to be saved… you’re pretty weak too.”

The third-year’s eyes flashed, and he cocked back a fist. Just as it was about to strike Draco’s face when a voice made it stop.

“That’s enough, Ken!”

The fist stopped an inch from Draco’s nose. He turned his head to see Professor Horn standing a few feet away, a stern expression on his face.

“You know this is not the way we deal with disagreements around here.” The older man said, though his eyes were glaring at Draco.

Ken looked from the professor to Draco, his angry expression turning into a sinister smile. Dropping the first-year, he looked down at him darkly.

“Get your ass out to the field. I’ll deal with you properly.”

The entire lunch hall began to empty as Willow rushed over to Draco and helped him to his feet. The rest of the squad slowly walked over to them; Saphira smacking Draco upside the head.

“You really need to learn when to shut your damn mouth,” she snapped, shaking with frustration.

“What?” Draco asked. “It’s common logic that the weak –“

“That is not the damn point!” She snapped. “You asked us to kick you off your high horse, and that’s what I am doing now! You are an unbelievably self-righteous… pretentious… aaaargh!” She vented, too angry to speak. “Just… no. You go out there and you get what’s coming to you.”

“What? What’s going on out there?” Draco asked, still confused.

“Disputes between students are settled in Duels. You should know this from yesterday.” Arius replied, his arms crossed, shaking his head in disbelief. “That third-year is about to kick the nine levels of hell out of you on behalf of the entire academy.”

The words hit Draco, and he smiled.

“Ah I get it now. So I get to kick his ass in front of the entire student body. Perfect.”

Draco started walking out to the field, leaving the rest of the squad shaking their heads.

“He really lives in his own little world, doesn’t he?” Arius asked. Sebastian sighed.

“And like a bird not yet ready to fly, the cruelty of the world shall descend upon him like a snake.”

“Huh?” Willow asked, completely lost.

“He means that when this is over, we are going to have to pull that third-year’s boot out of his butt.” Elizabeth said, her arms crossed as she watched Draco leave.

Willow cocked an eyebrow as she thought about it. Her eyes went wide in shock as she pictured the literal image of Liz’s words.

“Not it.” She said, causing the rest of them to snort.

~

Draco stepped onto the dueling field, a large section of the training yard set aside for public battles, complete with spectator stands, which were currently packed with the first, second, and third-years, all cheering for Ken, who stood across from Draco on the other end of the field.

“So nice of them all to come and enjoy the show!” Draco called over to Ken, who smiled grimly.

“I am going to enjoy beating some respect into you, kid.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Draco smiled as he lifted the lizard out on his hand. “DRACO!”

The flaming long sword flashed into his hand, and he shouldered it smugly, listening to the surprised spectators. That’s right, Rank One with an Element, take it in. His opponent whistled, clearly impressed.

“Well, that explains a lot,” he said, eyeing the sword. “Nobility and an element at Rank One. No wonder your head is so far up your ass.”

“What did you just say?” Draco snapped.

“People like you will never understand where we come from.” Ken said as he unbuttoned his left shirt sleeve. “I grew up on a pig farm, helping my father every day just to try and make sure we had enough food for the winter. Janet’s mother raised her all by herself, working as a seamstress, fixing the clothing of you nobles for coppers. Adam’s parents both died when he was young, and he worked harder than anyone to take care of his little sister, to provide for her and keep her clothed and fed. And you want to say that we are weak?” He looked up at Draco, glaring into his eyes. “I am going to show you who the weak one around here is, boy!”

Ken pulled his shirt sleeve back to his elbow, revealing his Brand; a large, side-faced skull. A Rank Three. He thrust his arm up into the air.

“Reign Supreme: TYRANT!”

The air around the field shook as an ear-splitting roar came from behind Ken. The air behind him seemed to warp like a melting mirror before shattering away like a pane of glass, making way for the Spirit as it bore down onto the field, its massive clawed foot crashing down onto the ground with enough force to make the earth shake. It inhaled, then opened its massive jaws once more, letting out an air shaking roar as Draco’s eyes went wide and he took a terrified step back as he stared up at the massive monster that stood behind Ken.

“You can’t be serious…” he muttered, his legs shaking as his mouth hung open. “An Ancient Lizard?”

The Tyrannosaurus rex let out another ear-splitting roar, drowning out the cheers of the spectators as Professor Horn stepped between Ken and Draco, his arm raised in the air.

“BEGIN!”